Mackie C300z 12" 2-Way Passive Speaker, 300W

The Mackie C300z 2-Way Portable Passive Loudspeakers put the superior clarity, wide dispersion, and legendary ergonomics of the SRM Series within reach of any serious musician, DJ, or small club. These compact-yet-loud speakers can be pole-mounted for use as a small full-range PA system, combined with subwoofers as needed, and even employed as high-quality passive floor monitors.

The C Series passive Loudspeakers represent Mackie's first lightweight passive speakers tuned exclusively by the EAW loudspeaker engineering team. We're talking about the same team with more than 25 years of high-output loudspeaker expertise, having created loudspeaker systems for critical applications as diverse as the Super Bowl, Iron Maiden, and the Pope. And although loudspeakers for these mega-systems cost exponentially more than the stalwart C300z, many of the same concepts applied. Take their custom 12" LF drivers for example, with a massive frequency range and a 3" voice coil that can take a pounding. Or see the 1.75" high-frequency titanium driver and horn providing a wide, controlled dispersion pattern and precise reproduction of the critical 1000 Hz - 20,000 Hz upper mid-range and high frequencies.

Tuning a crossover (i.e. voicing a system), involves dozens of critical decisions that many manufacturers overlook. In the end, it is all about balancing the design so that you get the best subjective results from the speaker while maintaining a good technical implementation. The crossover in the C Series is a unique Low Impedance Compensated Crossover (LICC) design with an asymmetrical slope. With EQ and crossover points meticulously chosen so that beamwidth patterns match in both drivers, C Series loudspeakers offer natural sound at all volume levels.

Ever been to a show where the music sounds great in front, but craps out once you get to the back or sides of the room? Mackie has, and that's why they gave the C300z a multi-cell horn throat aperture. What that does is allow for much wider and more even dispersion of high and mid frequencies—so the wallflowers get the same great listening experience as those up front.

Anyone with a factory can build a box and stick some speakers in it (and that's just what many do). But low-frequency transducers in square boxes can create resonances that reflect off the rear wall and pass through the woofer cone out of phase, and ready to mess up your sound. The C300z enclosure is an asymmetrical monocoque design with no parallel surfaces, causing mid and high frequency resonance's to be reflected at angles into internal damping materials, instead of interfering with the woofer doing its thing.

A good floor monitor plays loudly without generating feedback through vocal microphones. A poor floor monitor, on the other hand, will generate feedback just about the time you turn it up to a useable level. Floor monitor feedback is often caused by uneven frequency response and dispersion; some frequencies arrive at the microphone much louder than others. These "spikes" are what trigger feedback as the floor monitor volume is increased. The C300z has incredibly smooth, spike-free response and dispersion over a wide range of treble frequencies. So you can increase its volume without boosting those nasty, feedback-inducing spikes. Without extensive tuning, no passive speaker or specialized floor wedge in this class can even come close.

Mackie C300z Features:

• Wide-dispersion, studio-quality horn assembly with muti-cell aperture horn throat and exponential/conical HF mouth 1.75'' high frequency compression driver
• Composite mylar diaphragm increases clarity, eliminates resonances
• 12" long-throw low frequency transducer
• Reclines for use as a stage monitor
• Weight-balanced asymmetrical trapezoidal cabinet -strongest and stiffest in its class
• 10 built-in flypoints and built-in pole mounts
• Two comfortable side handles for easy carry and set-up, plus top handle for easy positioning
• 300-watt power handling 8 Ω nominal impedance
• Speakon connectors

Mackie C300z Specifications:

• Acoustic Performance:
  • Frequency Response (-3 dB): 55 Hz - 18 kHz
  • Frequency Range (-10 dB): 45 Hz - 20 kHz
  • Max SPL Long-Term: 123 dB @ 1m
  • Low-Frequency Crossover Type: 24 dB/oct., time offset corrected
  • High-Frequency Crossover Type: 24 dB/oct.
  • Crossover Point: 1800 Hz
• Input/Thru Connector Type: Speakon-style NL-4 jack, 1/4" TS jack
  • Input Impedance: 8 Ω
  • Power Handling (RMS): 300 W
  • Power Handling (Peak): 750 W
• LF Transducer: 12"
  • Voice Coil Diameter: 3"
  • Magnet Material: Ferrite
• HF Transducer: 1.75"
  • Diaphragm Material: Heat-treated titanium
  • Horn Exit Diameter: 1"
• Horn Design: Conical and Exponential
  • Mouth Size (W x H): 12" x 7"
  • Horizontal Coverage: 90° (1 to 20 kHz)
  • Vertical Coverage: 45° (2.8 to 20 kHz)
• Construction Features:
  • Basic Design: Asymmetrical trapezoid
  • Material: Polypropylene
  • Finish: Black, textured finished
  • Handles: One on each side, one on top
  • Grille: Perforated metal with weather-resistant coating
  • Operating Temperature Range: 14°F to 113°F
• Dimensions (H x W x D): 26.1" x 16.0" x 14.8"
• Weight: 46.0 lbs.
• Mounting Methods: Floor mount, pole mount, or fly via 10 integrated M10 threaded inserts